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Dude, how long have we needed a top 4 d-man now? No other team in the 4 major sports has ever had this much trouble filling a need except for the Chicago bears and the qb position.

It's going to be Snow's legacy.

Holmgren still looking for a goalie?
Leafs still looking for a #1 C?

Quote:

Originally Posted by blinkman360

I have a feeling that the Isles are fine with Martinek on that 2nd pairing with Streit if Visnovsky doesn't show. Don't see them going for another defender, much less a top-4. If Vis comes I think he'll probably start on the bottom pairing with Carkner and work his way up. Isles will probably want to make sure he gives a **** before they give him quality minutes. That's JMO though.

I trust Martinek on the ice as much as anyone on the NYI defense (not sure if that's a compliment). If remotely healthy, Martinek will be more than fine for the Isles.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kasper11

I think he will definitely be on the roster and it will come down to him or Landry in the lineup.

I think they will waive Landry now, like they waived Wishart after claiming Finley. Once you claim a player, he's got to stay on the NHL roster, or be subject to waivers again.

Donovan/Ness stay in the minors. Either Visnovsky reports or Garth trades for a top-4 defenseman, and Martinek goes back to being the 7th. At least there's more depth in this position now, claiming Hickey and Finley will help more than hurt.

I'd be cool with Snow going out and getting Douglas Murray (even though it would merely be a one year stop gap).

I think you guys could be looking at another Moulson situation at best and a #7 at worst. There was no room for Hickey here, he was always one of the last cuts to his credit but never quite made the cut. As far as I understand he's a great guy, I think he's NHL ready right now, all the best to him.

I'm gonna defer to you guys here, but seriously, I have to play Devil's advocate. What exactly does Thomas Hickey bring to the table ? He's tiny, with virtually no offensive abilities, and has never played an NHL game. We have the same thing in Ness (who has slightly better offensive abilities) and a bigger player with much better offensive abilities in Donovan (and both have played in the NHL).

Hickey 5-10 182
AHL GP G A Pts PPG
212 14 61 75 0.35

Ness 5-10 170
AHL GP G A Pts PPG
120 7 40 47 0.39

Donovan
AHL GP G A Pts PPG
115 14 52 69 0.6

I understand wanting to give Ness and Donovan more time to develop, but Hickey is only a year older than Ness and Donovan. Not sure I really understand how this is a good move. Hickey hasn't proven anything more than Ness and Donovan.

Hickey worth a look, hope he just needed a break. I was at the 2009 World Junior in Ottawa, saw all of Canada's games. Hickey is fairly solid all around but nothing that stands out, nothing bad either.

Don't know about Finley, sure he's big. Sounds like to have a chance, he must keep his game simple as possible. Thing he must do is not make hits that put him out of position, he does not have the
recovery speed to get caught.

I'm gonna defer to you guys here, but seriously, I have to play Devil's advocate. What exactly does Thomas Hickey bring to the table ? He's tiny, with virtually no offensive abilities, and has never played an NHL game. We have the same thing in Ness (who has slightly better offensive abilities) and a bigger player with much better offensive abilities in Donovan (and both have played in the NHL).

Hickey 5-10 182
AHL GP G A Pts PPG
212 14 61 75 0.35

Ness 5-10 170
AHL GP G A Pts PPG
120 7 40 47 0.39

Donovan
AHL GP G A Pts PPG
115 14 52 69 0.6

I understand wanting to give Ness and Donovan more time to develop, but Hickey is only a year older than Ness and Donovan. Not sure I really understand how this is a good move. Hickey hasn't proven anything more than Ness and Donovan.

The number that does stand out is that Hickey has played 212 AHL games, so he's
has a good amount of pro seasoning.

Very smart pickup. Could be HUGE for the Isles if this kid clears his head and gets focused in a new environment.

Interestingly enough, he served as Team Canada's captain in the 2009 WJC on a team with JT...so they obviously know each other. He should also know Matt Moulson since they both came out of LA and played together briefly in Manchester.

Having that familiarity with others on this new team, and getting a new opportunity could be all the difference in the world for this kid.

Good pick up, like others have already said...low risk/high reward. More defense means more competition and that should bring out the best in our players. These two pick ups make me feel a little bit better about our defense.

I like the move and all, but at the same time im kinda pissed about it. I mean I know Vis snubbed us and that could certainly lead to some card shuffling for any GM, but I don't see any other team use the waiver wire as much as us. Is Garth really that bad of a GM? We have futures out the waazoo, why is he so hesitant to trade strength to address a weakness?

I don't mean to derail this thread, but I feel like we're in such terrible shape because we have 15% of our bottom-feeding payroll tied up in a player that doesn't play! It is not acceptable for a professional team to operate like this.

Sorry for the tirade, probably not the time/place, but this move and the finley move just service to show how bad Garth has been as a GM and how terrible Wang really is as an owner.

I think you all are forgetting something very important about Hickey... he was a teammate of JT91 in the 2008 and 2009 WJC's. I think he was captain in 2009 too?!? Don't ever underestimate the power and scope of the Tavares effect.

Very smart pickup. Could be HUGE for the Isles if this kid clears his head and gets focused in a new environment.

Interestingly enough, he served as Team Canada's captain in the 2009 WJC on a team with JT...so they obviously know each other. He should also know Matt Moulson since they both came out of LA and played together briefly in Manchester.

Having that familiarity with others on this new team, and getting a new opportunity could be all the difference in the world for this kid.

2 WJCs with Tavares, that has to be a good thing.

Now, can we get Subban next?

Instead of, say, Chris DiDomenico and Angelo Esposito?

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott99

I'm gonna defer to you guys here, but seriously, I have to play Devil's advocate. What exactly does Thomas Hickey bring to the table ? He's tiny, with virtually no offensive abilities, and has never played an NHL game. We have the same thing in Ness (who has slightly better offensive abilities) and a bigger player with much better offensive abilities in Donovan (and both have played in the NHL).

Hickey 5-10 182
AHL GP G A Pts PPG
212 14 61 75 0.35

Ness 5-10 170
AHL GP G A Pts PPG
120 7 40 47 0.39

Donovan
AHL GP G A Pts PPG
115 14 52 69 0.6

I understand wanting to give Ness and Donovan more time to develop, but Hickey is only a year older than Ness and Donovan. Not sure I really understand how this is a good move. Hickey hasn't proven anything more than Ness and Donovan.

the Kings website has Hickey at 5'11" - 190, the numbers you cite are from his draft year. He was a very good puck mover earlier in his YOUNG career but has become a more defensively focused player in the AHL (according to the Kings board, anyway)

The thinking is that Hickey is ready for an NHL job, probably won't get one on the cup champs and waivers is the only option. I'm not expecting Orr, but I am expecting someone better than Landry and Wishart.

I think you all are forgetting something very important about Hickey... he was a teammate of JT91 in the 2008 and 2009 WJC's. I think he was captain in 2009 too?!? Don't ever underestimate the power and scope of the Tavares effect.

Just saw a post from above that Hickey also played a bit with Matt Moulson in the AHL before the Isles signed him.
Wonder if JT put in a good word.

I like the pick up, he will slot in most likely were Dehaan would have on the Isles. I hope he can show he is a viable 3rd pairing with top 4 upside. This pick up will also allow the Bport D prospects to really push hard and play 20 plus minutes a night.

just out of curiosity, haven't you seen him play for the monarchs against bpt? if so, how'd he look? (if you remember at all)

Hickey might have played with Moulson briefly in Manchester before the Isles signed Matt.

They were definitely in the system together, and Hickey's listed as playing 7 games for Manchester in 2008-09, when Moulson played 50-something games there. And he obviously knows Quick...so there's definitely that JT/Moulson connection.

They were definitely in the system together, and Hickey's listed as playing 7 games for Manchester in 2008-09, when Moulson played 50-something games there. And he obviously knows Quick...so there's definitely that JT/Moulson connection.

Forget the Kevin Bacon game, it's all about the Six Degrees of Separation revolving around John Tavares.

Never seen him play except for world juniors. My only question is his size. If he is really 5'10, this is another smallish defenseman. I know its waiver wire, people shouldnt get that excited. His minor league experience should help, thats what gives him the edge over any of our current AHL Dmen. Let see what happens, im still pissed about Vis.

I like the move and all, but at the same time im kinda pissed about it. I mean I know Vis snubbed us and that could certainly lead to some card shuffling for any GM, but I don't see any other team use the waiver wire as much as us. Is Garth really that bad of a GM? We have futures out the waazoo, why is he so hesitant to trade strength to address a weakness?

I don't mean to derail this thread, but I feel like we're in such terrible shape because we have 15% of our bottom-feeding payroll tied up in a player that doesn't play! It is not acceptable for a professional team to operate like this.

Sorry for the tirade, probably not the time/place, but this move and the finley move just service to show how bad Garth has been as a GM and how terrible Wang really is as an owner.

The problem is that no team is going to trade a legitimate top-4 at this point in time. Especially with most teams trying to stock up on as many NHL d-men as they can.

Prior to the lockout, I'm sure Garth(and most people) felt comfortable with the group we had. Hamonic, Streit, MacDonald, Visnovsky, Carkner and a guy like deHaan were most likely the expected group. Fast-forward to today and Visnovsky wants to stay in the KHL and deHaan is out with an injury. I won't really fault Garth much for this.